Exhibit C-54
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VERSION REDACTED 31 AUGUST 2015 EXHIBIT C-54 C-54 To All Prospective Applicants for New gTLDs – Since ICANN’s founding ten years ago as a not‐for‐profit, multi‐stakeholder organization dedicated to coordinating the Internet’s addressing system, one of its foundational principles has been to promote competition in the domain‐name marketplace while ensuring Internet security and stability. We are now engaging the Internet community in agreeing a way forward to introduce new gTLDs in the domain name space. Such expansion is driven by the demand for more innovation, choice and change to the Internet’s addressing system, now constrained by only 21 generic top‐level domain names. In a world with 1.5 billion Internet users—and growing—diversity, choice and competition are key to the continued success and reach of the global network. The launch of these coming new gTLD application rounds followed a detailed and lengthy consultation process with all constituencies of the global Internet community. Representatives from a wide variety of stakeholders—governments, individuals, civil society, business and intellectual property constituencies, and the technology community—were engaged in discussions for more than 18 months. In October 2007, the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO)—one of the groups that coordinate global Internet policy at ICANN—completed its policy development work on new gTLDs and approved a set of recommendations. Major contributors to this policy work were ICANN’s Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC), At‐Large Advisory Committee (ALAC), Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) and Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC). All this policy development work culminated with ICANN’s Board of Directors deciding to adopt the community‐developed policy at the ICANN Paris meeting in June 2008. You can see a thorough brief to the policy process and outcomes at http://gnso.icann.org/issues/new‐gtlds/. Please note that the Applicant Guidebook that follows this letter is a draft. Applicants should not rely on any of the proposed details of the new gTLD program, as the program remains subject to further consultation and revision. Also, some of the modules in this guidebook highlight areas of the process that remain under development. These areas will be made available for public consultation in the near future. In addition to the Draft Applicant Guidebook, ICANN is posting a series of papers that serve as explanatory memoranda to assist the Internet community to better understand the implementation work. ICANN expects to engage in a productive and robust dialogue with the Internet community through a consultative process. Comments will be used to revise and prepare the final Applicant Guidebook, to be released early in 2009. The New gTLD Program enables the Internet community to open up the name space to new and innovative uses for top‐level domains, and can meet some of the needs unmet by the current market. It has the potential to be one of the biggest influences on the future of the Internet. Sincerely, Paul Twomey President and CEO C-54 New gTLD Program: Draft Applicant Guidebook (Draft RFP) Please note that this is a discussion draft only. Potential applicants should not rely on any of the proposed details of the new gTLD program as the program remains subject to further consultation and revision. 24 October 2008 C-54 New gTLD Program Draft Request for Proposals Table of Contents Table of Contents Module 1 – Introduction to the gTLD Application Process ................................... 1-1 1.1 Application Life Cycle and Timelines .............................................................................. 1-1 1.1.1 Application Submission Dates ............................................................................ 1-1 1.1.2 Application Processing Stages ........................................................................... 1-2 1.1.2.1 Application Submission Period ........................................................... 1-2 1.1.2.2 Administrative Completeness Check ............................................... 1-3 1.1.2.3 Initial Evaluation ................................................................................... 1-3 1.1.2.4 Objection Filing .................................................................................... 1-4 1.1.2.5 Extended Evaluation ........................................................................... 1-5 1.1.2.6 Dispute Resolution ................................................................................ 1-5 1.1.2.7 String Contention ................................................................................. 1-6 1.1.2.8 Transition to Delegation ...................................................................... 1-7 1.1.3 Accounting for Public Comment in the Evaluation of Applications ............ 1-8 1.1.4 Sample Application Scenarios ........................................................................... 1-9 1.1.5 Subsequent Application Rounds ...................................................................... 1-11 1.2 Information for All Applicants ......................................................................................... 1-11 1.2.1 Eligibility ................................................................................................................ 1-11 1.2.2 Two Application Types: Open or Community-Based .................................... 1-12 1.2.2.1 Definitions ............................................................................................ 1-12 1.2.2.2 Implications of Application Designation ........................................ 1-12 1.2.2.3 Changes to Application Designation ............................................. 1-13 1.2.3 Required Documents ......................................................................................... 1-13 1.2.4 Notice Concerning Technical Acceptance Issues ........................................ 1-15 1.2.5 Terms and Conditions ......................................................................................... 1-15 1.3 Information for Internationalized Domain Name Applicants.................................... 1-16 1.4 Submitting an Application .............................................................................................. 1-17 1.4.1 Accessing the TLD Application System ........................................................... 1-18 1.4.1.1 Sub-user Management ..................................................................... 1-18 1.4.1.2 Workflow Management .................................................................... 1-18 TOC-2 C-54 New gTLD Program Draft Request for Proposals Table of Contents 1.4.1.3 Security ................................................................................................ 1-18 1.4.2 Technical Support ............................................................................................... 1-18 1.4.3 Backup Application Process ............................................................................. 1-19 1.5 Fees and Payments ......................................................................................................... 1-19 1.5.1 Breakdown of Fees and Amounts .................................................................... 1-19 1.5.2 Payment Methods .............................................................................................. 1-21 1.5.2.1 Wire Transfer Payment ....................................................................... 1-21 1.5.2.2 ACH Payment ..................................................................................... 1-21 1.5.2.3 Credit Card Payment ........................................................................ 1-21 1.5.2.4 Check or Money Order Payment .................................................... 1-21 1.5.3 Requesting an Invoice ....................................................................................... 1-22 1.5.4 Deadlines for Payments ..................................................................................... 1-22 1.5.5 Withdrawals and Refunds ................................................................................. 1-19 1.6 Questions about this RFP ................................................................................................. 1-17 Module 2 – Evaluation Procedures .................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Initial Evaluation ................................................................................................................. 2-2 2.1.1 String Reviews ........................................................................................................ 2-2 2.1.1.1 String Confusion Review...................................................................... 2-2 2.1.1.2 Review for Reserved Names .............................................................. 2-4 2.1.1.3 Review for Potential DNS Instability ................................................... 2-5 2.1.1.4 Geographical Names ......................................................................... 2-8 2.1.2 Applicant Reviews .............................................................................................. 2-11 2.1.2.1 Information Sought ............................................................................ 2-11 2.1.2.2 Evaluation Methodology .................................................................. 2-12 2.1.3 Registry Services Review ...................................................................................